The present invention relates to coffee growing techniques. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for enhancing coffee bean production.
Coffee is the seed of a cherry from a tree which grows from sea level to approximately 6,000 feet in a narrow subtropical belt around the world. The three major growing regions are: Latin America and the Caribbean Islands, Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and Indonesia. Coffee is also grown in Hawaii, India and in South East Asia.
Coffee trees are evergreens which grow to heights of up to twenty feet. To simplify harvesting, the trees are pruned to eight to ten feet. The coffee tree first produces delicate clusters of white blossoms, resembling jasmine in shape and scent. These blossoms last only a few days. Small green coffee cherries then begin to appear and ripen to yellow, then red, and finally almost black, within six to nine months. Coffee cherries ripen at different times, so they are predominantly picked by hand.
In addition to the species of the coffee, many other factors contribute to the overall quality of the beans. Seed stock, plantation location, soil composition, altitude, weather conditions, fertilization, cultivation, harvesting, and processing methods all have a dramatic influence on the finished product. It takes an average of four to five years for the coffee tree to produce its first crop. Approximately 2,000 cherries, or 4,000 coffee beans, must be harvested to produce just one pound of roasted coffee. The average coffee tree only produces one to two pounds of roasted coffee per year.
Today, coffee is a giant global industry employing more than twenty million people. This commodity ranks second only to petroleum in terms of dollars traded worldwide. With over four hundred billion cups consumed every year, coffee is the world""s most popular beverage. Sales of premium specialty coffees in the United States have reached the multi-billion dollar level, and are increasing significantly on an annual basis.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of enhancing coffee bean production from each tree. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for enhancing coffee bean production. The apparatus comprises a trellis having aligned end assemblies at a predetermined distance from one another. The end assemblies preferably comprise two aligned posts spaced from one another and having a brace therebetween, and a wire attached to a lower portion of one post at one end thereof and attached to an upper end of the other post at the other end thereof. At least one wire is interconnected between the end assemblies. The wires serve as an attachment to branches of coffee trees planted along the apparatus. Posts are positioned between the end assemblies and attached to the wires. Preferably, multiple wires are vertically spaced from one another and secured along the vertical length of the post. A drip hose is attached to and extends along the length of the bottom wire.
After providing such a trellis, coffee tree seedlings are planted along the trellis and the trellis is utilized to open up the coffee tree in order to increase sun exposure thereon. This accomplished by attaching a portion of the coffee tree shoots to the at least one wire of the trellis in order to open up the coffee tree and increase sun exposure thereon. Additional portions of the coffee tree are attached to the wires as the coffee tree grows. The trellis allows the coffee tree to be opened resulting in increased photosynthetic activity, fewer gaps between trees, and increased crop production per acre.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.